Pregnancy and Childcare

Infant Health Management

Children go through rapid physical development during infancy and can easily contract diseases due to a significant drop in the immunity acquired from their mother. Infants can obtain healthcare and essential vaccinations for free at public health centers.

Stages of Infant Development

Weight

3kg at birth, 6kg after 6 months, 9 kg after a year

Height

50cm at birth, 75cm after a year

Physical Development

The development of an infant's body between the fourth and twelfth month after birth.

4 months

Can control head and can twist from side to side while lying down

5 months

Can turn over (from stomach to back)

6 months

Can turn from back to stomach and can push up with both arms while lying flat

7 months

Can sit with assistance

8 months

Can sit without assistance

9 months

Crawls

10 months

Can stand up with support (e.g. furniture)

12 months

Can walk with support

Useful Information

Childcare conflict

In raising a child, you may experience conflict with family members due to differences in opinions on childrearing. These conflicts are common between parents-in-law and young couples. Talk through the conflict with your parents-in-law.

Examples of conflicts

Feed when the child is hungry. ↔ Feed at regular times.

Feed a lot, even if the child becomes chubby. ↔ Always feed the correct amount.

Carry child on your back if he or she cries. ↔ Carrying the child on your back turns into a bad habit.

Children with resident registration numbers and alien registration numbers (including exemptions) are qualified to receive free vaccinations at public health centers or the nearest designated healthcare organization. Foreigners who stayed in Korea for more than 3 months and have not registered as aliens can also get free vaccinations at public health centers if they present documents (passports) proving their personal identity at public health centers and receive identity numbers for vaccinations.

You can check your child’s vaccination history on the National Inoculation Program website or mobile application.

Guidance for next vaccination

When you agree to get text messages to help you remember your child’s next vaccination, you can get text services in advance for the child’s next vaccination according to the schedule. When the vaccination is delayed from the recommended period, you can get the text service to be informed about it.

Free issuance of vaccination certificate

When you apply for a vaccination certificate at the National Inoculation Program website, you can print out the free online certificate through Minwon24.

You can find more information related to vaccination on the National Inoculation Program (nip.cdc.go.kr).

Project to Prevent Newborn Babies from Having Hepatitis B in the Perinatal Period

This program prevents newborn babies whose mothers have Hepatitis B from acquiring Hepatitis B. All expenses necessary for protective inoculations of immunoglobulin and Hepatitis B, antigen, and antibody tests are covered for newborn babies.

Test results of Hepatitis B must be submitted to medical institution where she gave birth to receive program information. The Agreement for Personal Information Collection must be signed and submitted in order to receive the free vaccination and medical examinations.